Wow, it is amazing to hear of a United States Presidential Candidate actually speak of Space Exploration. President Bush pushed us forward in pursuit
of a Manned Mission back to the Moon, and then onto Mars. President Ronald Reagan was behind our pursuit of Orbital Dominance and Military Space
Infrastructure. Of course this could not be discussed without mention of President John F. Kennedy Jr., who forever changed the "Space Race" by
pursuing Apollo, which placed the First Man upon the Moon in 1969 (Keeping to Kennedy's "Before This Decade is Out" commitment). Also remember,
that President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the founding force behind the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958 (and subsequently
the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo Programs).

John McCain also supports the Commercial pursuits of Space, and believes they are a crucial aspect of American Space Exploration. (He even mentions
the X-Prize).

He also believes that we should keep funding and pursuing Manned Spaceflight, which he believes holds a purpose greater than just Exploration, but
also towards National Pride. I personally believe that Manned Spaceflight is as important as anything we have ever done in Space. Was our entire NASA
Space Race not geared towards this very accomplishment? Not to mention that if we ever wish to become a truly Space faring Nation and World, we MUST
gain experience with Manned Space Missions.

Another exciting aspect of John McCain's Space Policy is that he wishes to add Commercialization to the ISS (International Space Station) National
Laboratory. This will undoubtedly beef up the operations of the ISS, and quite possibly expand it far beyond what it is currently capable of.

John McCain is fully committed to the current Constellation Program as well (Essentially a revamped Apollo Program on Steroids).

He also realizes the vulnerability of our Orbital based systems (ie, SATS), and believes we must devote the resources and infrastructure
maintenance/upgrades necessary towards maintaining/improving these crucial and irreplaceable assets.

John McCain also believes in closing the gap between the turn-over of the Current NASA Space Shuttle (STS-Space Transportation System), and NASA's
Next Generation Space Vehicle. This is ABSOLUTELY crucial towards maintaining our current Space Based assets. We are currently far too reliant on the
Russian Space Transportation System, in an increasingly unstable Political Environment. Not to mention that we CANNOT involve Classified Projects with
Russian Systems.

Nothing new. At least he continues former US presidents schedule, but it could just be in a form of a statement for support of former presidents space
policy. Nothing can quarantee that he will actually pursue these goals. I hope he does.

Now let me repeat:

I am the second person replying in this thread and I am not even American.
Is there something wrong with this picture?
YES there is!

Space exploration needs to conform itself to more simplistic ways of space travel, on a more frequent basis to fully utilise the tax money going into
the programs. If NASA would stop all the pie in the sky aircrafts and go with what we are learning about new propulsion techniques beyond the
promised slower ion drives etc.. we could spark a whole new way of life based on the center of common focus, space and the unseen. Hope thats more on
topic.

I am going to have to disagree with you about government has no place in space exploration. If anything, they are more suited than a public company.
If you are using a public company, you are dependent upon people making a personal investment, where as the government can make a more constant and
consistent funding towards them. It is not bound as much to public opinion and interest as would a public company would be. If nobody wants to go or
invest in space then there will be no advancement and there will be no program. We need to keep it in the government were they will keep the
advancement and discovery coming.

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

You have a point that gov't. does, indeed, have a roll in the space programs future...but not as the prime mover and shaker, but rather as
something like a facilitator, getting smaller groups to work together by providing, perhaps, incentives for working on projects.

This, of course, is all pie in the sky stuff, that must needs be worked out by people far more knowledgable than I. I just can't see gov't. being
responsive enough to make neccessary changes in programs that may need a tweek or two. Private industry, in order to profit, must be responsive.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

If this has positive implications, like producing more physicists and scientists, yes I support it. Our youth need to be encouraged to embark on
careers that can help our space programs. The more children we can get interested and excited in this wave of our future, the more it will encourage
great breakthroughs!

I just hope who ever does get elected, can push our space programs, and not just for warfare purposes.

Talk is cheap, and all sides say whatever they think the voting public wants to hear. But budgets are where politicians need to act. And until the
Congress gets in on the idea, no President stands a chance to do more than pay lip service to the idea of expanded exploration in space.

I hope it happens, but I've heard the wind from political cheeks before. I'll wait and see. As my old Granny used to say, actions speak louder than
words.

Due to McCain's stance as a de-regulator of everything, including the financial industry, and his support of unnecessary war in Iraq which costs us a
fortune (and our children't futures), the country is indeed broke and every word he speaks on space exploration is nothing but hypocrisy.

I understand what you are saying about not having the funds, but with space, it can make it's own money. Through discovery and patents on inventions
and what they bring back from the program will keep space and the technology center going. But if we really do need money we can still go to the
Chinese. They seem to always want to buy bonds.

Whether its the next 10 years or 100 years we will make it to the outer planets and maybe even beyond.

Technology changes. Who really knows how we will get to deep space. It may not be rockets but some new technology no one has dreamed up yet.

It will be affordable and it will probably end poverty on earth. Since real estate price are going up on earth I figure the poor will be deported to
Pluto or beyond. Peace on Earth pure Science Fantasy! We can't have peace in our homes and with the people next door. Worldwide Peace with 7
Billion hostile humans is never going to happen...the UFO Greys are avoiding us not because their sinister are have a secret agenda there afraid of
us. They probably live in the Sea and want to avoid us really badly. Next UFo please pick me up I want OUT.

Although I think exploration is an amazing thing and that we should have advanced much further than we have, I think the US has other pressing matters
to attend to and spend money on. Sad but thats what I think.

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